Ostrich Feathers.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXIII, Issue VI, 6 August 1904, Page 64

Ostrich Feathers.

"Hardly any women who owns an ostrich feather thinks of washing it at home,” Henry D. Surbled tells me. “She believes the cleaning of the feather involves some intricate and difficult process, and is withal such a delicate matter that it can only be accomplished by a professional cleaner. But if she only knew it, cleaning an ostrich feather is not any more difficult than cleaning a bit of lace. All there is to it is the knowing how, and that is what I’ll tell you. “A suds of soap and lukewarm water must be prepared, and then the soiled feather should be dipped into it and drawn through the hands a few times, as often as necessary, until the feather appears clean. Under no circumstances should it be allowed to remain in the soapy water, just dip it in and then draw it through the hand to squeeze the water and soap from it before dipping it in again. If it is very dirty it ought to be washed in two suds; then, when the cleaning process is over, it must be rinsed through several bowls of clear, cool water, the rinsing method being the same as in cleaning, dipping the feather in the water and then drawing it through the hand. "When it is thoroughly rinsed it must be drawn through the hand repeatedly until it is about dry; then it should be placed on the thigh and slapped with the hand, to bring it out fluffy. That is the whole operation. The fluffing of the feather may require a little practice, and

it would be well to clean a poor feather before taking a more expensive one through this course of home cleaning, in order that the necessary dexterity, a thing that readily comes to one, may be obtained. —“St. Louis Globe-Democrat.”